The Dugdale Millions — page 226: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

216 “THE DUGDALE MILLIONS. ‘‘Tf I had not heard what Mason learned on Mon- day, perhaps I might have been,” calmly replied the lawyer. ‘‘ Notwithstanding Pierson’s explanation of it, I am not yet satisfied, and still distrust. You must stand upon your rights, defending them until the last.” The three rose and went to the drawing-room, where they found Wallis and Bessie at the piano in the music-room, and Harold Pierson engaged in conversa- tion with Mrs. Stanton. At once Dick noticed that Mrs. Stanton’s face was flushed and that she seemed to be the prey to strong emotions, and that Bob looked troubled and anx- lous, Bob indeed had reason to be troubled. He had obtained a fact from Mrs. Stanton which almost threw him into a panic. Mrs. Stanton, in pursuing her delusion that her husband was unfaithful, had persuaded herself that Mason’s frequent visits were solely due to an effort to shield her husband. She had there- fore conceived a great dislike for him. And _ be- cause she had frequently heard Dick express his dis- trust of Harold Pierson, she had perversely taken a fancy tothe young claimant. By an illogical process of reasoning she had come to believe that, in the en- deavor to shield her husband, the three—Dick, Mr. Hetlow, and Mr. Stanton—were sacrificing Harold Pier- son and were engaged in an intrigue to deprive him of his inheritance. Having reached this conclusion, it was an easy step to the other, that her interests were bound up with those of Harold, and thus was to be ex- plained why she had, in opposition to all about her, advocated Harold’s claim. When therefore the opportunity presented itself she opened her conversation with Harold Pierson, by offering him her friendship and sympathy. As a matter of course, Bob only too warmly accepted it. Comicbooks.€© 3